Machine for making metal lath



Feb. l, 1955 R. F. sTocKToN 2,70),991

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL LATI-IES Filed June 24, 1949 3 Sheets$heet l Wam Feb l, 1955 R. F. sTocKToN f 2,700,991v

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL LATI-IES Filed June 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Hw/@N0 rf: 5mn/70% IN1/Emme. 47MB |5012, 11G "BEAT/|29 W5 Feb. 1, 1955 R. F. s'rocKToN 2,700,991

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL LTHES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 |85 ISI lao '8' '9o Filed June 24, 1949 l 'ZIO ZIA @amm/v0 55700/70/1/9 INVENTOR.

'B @Mam United States Patent O MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL LATH Raymond F. Stockton, Sunland, Calif., assignor to Ray F. Stockton Wire Products Co. Inc., Burbank, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 24, 1949, Serial No. 100,989

3 Claims. (Cl. 140-112) This invention relates to metal lath, and particularly to apparatus for producing the metal lath.

The present application is copending witht my prior applications Serial Nos. 28,235, tiled May 20, 1948, now Patent No. 2,628,642; Serial No. 40,715, tiled July 26, 1948, now Patent No. 2,645,930; and Serial No. 46,650, filed August 28, 1948, now Patent No. 2,633,877; said applications relating to metal lath products and methods and apparatus for forming these products. The present application discloses apparatus and methods which can be used for forming at least some of the metal lath products disclosed in my prior applications and the prior methods and apparatus disclosed in my prior applications can be used for producing the metal lath products of the present invention. The present application may be considered as a continuation of these prior applications.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for forming metal lath.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is capable of forming a number of different types of metal lath.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 discloses an elevation view in section of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along lines 3--3 on Fig. l showing the means for putting convolutes in the wires;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in plan of a portion of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 2, showing one type of improved metal lath in the process of being formed;

Fig. 5 is a view along lines 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along lines 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along lines 7-7 of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a view in plan of a section of still another improved type of metal lath;

Fig. 9 is a view in section along lines 9--9 of Fig. 8, showing the improved corner section of metal lath;

. Fig. 10 is af View of still another improved form of metal lath particularly adapted for bullnosing;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view along lines 11-11 of Fig. 1-0;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of still another improved type of metal lath which can be used as a joiner strip; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view along lines 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, an apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention is shown in plan in Fig. 2 and in elevation in Fig. 1, and this apparatus comprises a frame generally entitled 15 which supports a driving motor 16 which drives wire-forming gears 20, 21, 23, and 24, 26, 27, 29, and 30 through a reduction drive 33 and suitable gears and shafting generally indicated at 36 and 37. The wire-forming gears are supported in a frame 40 and upon rotation serve to put convolutes in straight wires which are fed to the wire-forming gears. The present invention is not intended to be limited to this particular means of putting convolutes in wires, but these means are disclosed only as a convenient means of putting convolutes in the wires and any other suitable means may be substituted therefor, which means would allow staggering between wires.

Cil

ice

The apparatus disclosed in Figs. l through 7 has been shown as arranged to work on four main wires and some auxiliary wires, but this is not intended to limit the invention since the concepts of the present invention can be used to operate on more or less wires as desired.

Four wires 42, 43, 44, and are provided to be operated on by the apparatus and are drawn through a cleaning box 48 by means of the wire-forming gears, the cleaning box 48 having steel wool or the like therein which is pressed into engagement with the wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 so as to clean the wires of any foreign substances.

The apparatus of the present invention is particularly adapted to be used for operating on wire which has been rendered rustproof by various coatings and the finished product will also be rustproof Which is a marked advantage over prior metal lath products.

The main wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 are fed through nozzles 49 for straightening any kinks or bends in the wires before they are pulled into the gear-forming teeth. Frame 40 has suitable openings in the sides thereof to permit ingress and egress of the main wires 42, 43, 44, and 45.

It is desired that the convoluted wires formed by the gear-forming gears be eventually positioned in accordance with a predetermined pattern and therefore, gears 20 and 21 are not aligned with gears 23 and 24 so that the wire 42 will have its convolutes initially positioned in somewhat staggered relation with respect to the convolutes of wire 43, see Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the teeth on gears 23 and 24 have been left out in order that the arrangement and formation of wire 42 can be better appreciated. However, wire 43 is shown below wire 42 and its staggered relationship with respect to wire 42 can be appreciated, and it is to be understood that gears 23 and 24 will have a somewhat staggered relationship to gears 20 and 21. Gears 26 and 27 will also have a staggered relationship with respect to gears 29 and 30 so that wires 44 and 45 issuing from gears 26 and 27 and 29 and 30 will have the convolutes thereof staggered with relation to one another. There are guides 51, 5,2, 53, and 54 for wires 42, 43, 44, and 45, respectively, said guides in the speciiic embodiment disclosed take the form of rectangular tubing. Guides 51 and 52 are adjustably supported from frame 40, see Fig. l, by suitable link means 59 and 60 which are supported from frame 40 by an arm 61. Each link means has a slot and bolt and nut connection between the parts thereof permitting vertical and transverse adjustment of the guides 51 and 52 relative to arm 61 and the other guides. Any other suitable construction of link means 59 and 60 to enable them to adjustably support guides S1 and 52 may be provided. Link means and 66 adjustably support guides 53 and 54 from frame 15 and are supported by platform 64 provided by frame 15. Link means 65 and 66 are constructed in a manner similar to link means 59 and 60.

The means for adjusting the guides are preferably such as to permit the guides to be arranged in different relationship to one another so that different overlapping relationship of the convoluted wires can be obtained. The delivery ends of the guides 51, 52, 53 and 54 are arranged in the manner best shown in Fig. 4 to be described, and it is preferable that the guides be somewhat curved so that the convoluted wires issuing from the delivery ends of the guides will enter into the rest of the apparatus in a straightened and aligned condition.

The convoluted wires leaving the delivery ends 0f guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 are approximately overlapped according to a predetermined pattern and have the convoutes thereof arranged longitudinally with respect to one another at least approximately according to a predetermined pattern because of the staggering of the convolute-forming gears with respect to one another. Means for accurately positioning and maintaining the convoluted wires with respect to one another according to a predetermined pattern are provided by suitable means to be described including toothed roller 70 which serves to feed the wires into a welding apparatus 71 which welds the overlap and arranges convoluted wires together. There are suitable rollers 72 rotatably mounted on frame 15 for serving as a booster station for drawing the wires through welding rollers 71. Rollers 72 are preferably constructed of rubber or like material and preferably are wet at all times by a suitable bath 74, or any other suitable means.'

There are bending means for bending the various wire products and these means disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 are especially designed to form corner sections of .the metal lath of the type shown in Fig. 9. This bending means comprises an upper roller 75 and a lower bending ro1ler.76, said lower bending roller having teeth 77 for entering into spaces in the welded convoluted wire to pull the welded convoluted wire through the bender. The cross section view in Fig. 6 shows that the upper bending roller 75 and lower bending roller 76 are shaped to bend the welded convoluted wire to the shape of the product shown in Fig. 9, upper roller 75 having a concave bending surface 80 and lower bending roller 76 having a convex bending surface 81. Straightening rollers 84, 8S, and 86 are provided and rotatably mounted on fram 15 and these straightening rollers are preferably adjustably mounted so that any unwanted bends or curvatures in the welded and formed section of metal lath will be eliminated. Straightening rollers 84 and 85 have grooves thereabout and lower roller 86 has a ridge thereabout, said rollers being designed to tit the shape of the metal lath shown in Fig. 9.

There are cut-oit rollers 90 and 91 which are rotatably mounted on frame 15 and lower cut-off roller 91 has a blade 93 which can best be seen in Fig. 7, and this blade serves to cut oil lengths of the welded convoluted wire which is moved therethrough. Upper cut-off roller 90 has a grooved outer surface 94 as can best be seen 1n Fig. 7, and lower cut-oit roller 91 has a ridged outer surface 95 as can best be seen in Fig. 7.

Toothed roller 70, the function of which will be de scribed, is driven from reduction drive 33 by means oi suitable shafting 98 and gearing 99 and chain 100. The welding rollers 71, booster rollers 72, bending rollers 75 and 76, straightening rollers 84, 85, and 86 and cut-off rollers or welds 90 and 91 are driven from motor 16 and reduction drive 33 through chain 100 and a suitable drive 102 leading from the drive provided by chain 100. Drive 102 may take any suitable form such as chains, belts, gears, or the like. A chain drive is preferable aand the size of the sprockets on the various shafts supporting the various rotative elements are varied in proportion to the sizes of the various rotative elements to drive said elements at the desired correct speed to properly engage and feed and/ or operate on the wire product.

The various shafts for the various rotative elements are suitably mounted by bearings or the like on frame 15 and are labelled with the same number as the elements which are mounted thereon since the shafts are deemed a part of the assembly of the elements.

In some cases it is preferable to provide wires which also serve as reenforcing wires for the various metal lath products. two line wires 105 and 106, see Fig. 4, which are fed through a guide 107 and therefrom to nozzles 108 and 109. These lines wires are welded onto the overlapped and arranged convoluted wires according to a predetermined pattern and serve the purpose of reenforcing and also as a lining means for the various metal lath products to enable a person applying the lath to a wall to nail or tack the products to the wall by merely following down or along the line wires. When a corner section of lath is being formed and made by the apparatus a heavy center line wire is preferably welded down the center of the section of lath. This may be added to the convoluted wires at the same time line wires 105 and 106 are added or the heavy center wire may be added later.

The general overall arrangement is that the main wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 are convoluted by the convoluting gears, fed through guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 and exit from the delivery ends of the guides overlapped approximately as desired and with the convolutes thereof longitudinally arranged approximately according to a predetermined pattern. The wires move from the delivery ends of the guides into`an arranging apparatus to be described and are then welded by the welding apparatus 71 bent by the bending rollers 75 and 76, straightened by rollers 84, 85, and 86, and then sections of this welded convoluted product are cut off by cut-off rollers 90 and 91.

The bending rollers 75 and 76 will be replaced by other suitable bending rollers to produce the product disclosed in Figs. 10 and 11, and 12, and 13, and the bending roll- In the apparatus disclosed there is provided-f ers 84, 85, and 86 will be replaced by other bending rollers to straighten the metal lath products disclosed in Figs.` 10, 1l, l2 and 13 and the cut-off rollers 90 and 91 will be replaced by suitable cut-off rollers for cutting oi the products disclosed in Figs. l0, l1, 12, and 13.

In order to make the various products which are disclosed in Figs. 4, and 8 through 13, it will be necessary to shift or rearrange the guides 51, 52, 53, and 54, and since these guides are adjustably mounted this can be readily accomplished and so that the apparatus disclosed in Figs. l through 7 is readily adapted to make a number of types of metal lath by a few adjustments and replacements of parts of the apparatus.

As before brought out, the convoluted wires leaving the convolute-forming gears are staggered with relation to one another in a predetermined manner. This is desired since certain patterns of the convoluted wires with relation to one another in the final products is desired. Since the path of travel of the different wires from the convoluteforming gears to the toothed wheel 70 will be diierent, the arrangement of convoluted wires at the convolute-forming gears will be different than the pattern of the convoluted wires at the toothed wheel 70. It is obvious that if the path of travel of the convoluted wires from the forming means is the same that the pattern of the convolutes with respect to one another will be approximately the same at the place of forming as at the toothed wheel 70. In any event, however, the convoluted wires at the place of forming or supply will have a predetermined pattern with relation to one another and whether this predetermined pattern is the same as that existing at the toothed wheel 70 depends upon the length of the path of travel.

A main part of the present invention lies in the means for overlapping and arranging the convoluted wires according to a predetermined pattern and these means are best shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 are so arranged that the delivery ends of guides 51 and 52 are approximately on the same level and overlap the guides 53 and 54. The delivery end of guide 53 as shown in Fig. 4, overlaps the delivery end of guide 54 so that the overlapping relationship of the convoluted wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 is de` termined by the arrangement of overlapping of the delivery ends of the guides 51, 52, 53, and 54. The particular metal lath product shown in Fig. 4 has the outer convoluted wires 42 and 43 overlapping the inner convoluted wires 44 and 45, and convoluted wire 44 overlaps convoluted wire 45.

The convoluted wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 are shown issuing from the delivery ends of the guides in overlapping relationship approximately as is desired. However, it is contemplated that the convoluted wires will not always exit from the delivery ends of the tubes in the exact pattern desired and so the toothed wheel 70 is provided for maintaining the desired pattern of the convoluted wires or, positioning the convoluted wires to obtain the desired pattern if that pattern is not already existing when the convoluted wires reach the toothed wheel 70. There are center positioning teeth provided about the periphery of toothed wheel 70 and there are anking positioning teeth 116 and 117, see Fig. 5. In Fig. 4 the toothed wheel has been removed from its normal position so that the arrangement of the various parts of the device and the relationship of the convoluted wires can better be seen and the toothed wheel is shown in dot-dash lines in the position it will normally occupy. A single center tooth 115 and two anking positioning teeth 116 and 117 are shown in Fig. 4 inthe positions in which they will normally occupy during one portion of the revolution of the toothed wheel 70. The teeth 115, 116, and 117 are made of such size that they can readily enter the spaces between the wires and the convolutes so that if the convolutes are not correctly arranged these teeth will enter into the spaces and then serve to arrange the convoluted wires according to the desired predetermined pattern. By com paring Figs. l and 5, it can be seen that teeth 115, 116, and 117 are smaller at their extremities and increase in thickness at their base, and this construction allows the teeth to readily enter into spaces between the convolutes of the wires and as the teeth are rotated they will move further down through the spaces between wires so that the thicker portions of the teeth will then serve to move the convolutes of the wires relatively to one another so that the convoluted wires will be correctly positioned when they are spot welded by the welding apparatus 71. The toothed roller 70, therefore, serves three functions, 1) to correctly space the convoluted wires according to a predetermined pattern; (2) to feed the convoluted wires along toward the welding apparatus 71; and (3) to urge the convoluted wires against the side walls or guides provided by the magnets.

Guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 which feed wires to the magnets and toothed wheel 70 also serve several functions. These guides permit different arrangements of overlap of the convoluted wire. That is, guide 51 could be adjusted to position convoluted wire 42 into the position occupied by convoluted wire 43, or 44, or 45, and the other guides could be adjusted to position the other convoluted wires in different relationships relative to one another as desired. So, guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 determine (1) the relationship of overlap of the convoluted wires; (2) the approximate amount of overlap; and (3), the staggering of the wires relative to one another if the guides are such as to vary the length of travel between the wire forming gears and the magnets.

A plurality of ways are provided between the delivery ends of guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 past the toothed wheel 70, and convoluted wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 are adapted to travel on these ways and are moved across the ways by toothed wheel 70. These ways are provided by magnets 120 and 121 and bridge 134, compare Figs. 4 and 5. There are magnets 125 and 126 positioned above magnets 120 and 121 and there are insulating sheets 129 and 130 separating the upper and lower magnets and it is upon these sheets which convoluted wires 42 and 43 travel. These magnets provide side walls or guides for assuring and causing overlapping of the convoluted wires with respect to one another. The magnets serve to draw the convoluted wires against these side walls or guides provided by the magnets, and therefore, the amount of overlapping of the convoluted wires is accurately determined. The insulating sheets 129 and 130 serve to eliminate or somewhat lessen the downward pull of magnets 121 and 120 on convoluted wires 42 and 43 so that these convoluted wires can be fed along fairly easily. It may be desired, however, to make the insulating sheets of such a thickness and of such material that there is some downward pull on convoluted wires 42 and 43 so that these wires will be kept against the ways provided by the magnets and the insulating sheets.

There is a bridging member 134, see Figs. 4 and 5, which provides rails 136, 137, which rails serve as ways along which convoluted wires 44 and 45 travel. These rails are provided in bridging member 134 by three slots 141, 142, and 143, said slots allowing teeth 117, 115, and 116 to pass therethrough in their movement.

Bridge 134 rests between magnets 120 and 121 and is fastened to a supporting table 145 provided by frame 15. The magnets have brackets 147 fastened thereto which brackets are suitably slotted at 148 to receive screws 149 thereby permitting adjustment of the magnets relative to one another and to the toothed wheel 70, that is, permitting traverse adjustment of the magnets. It is contemplated that the manner of mounting the magnets may be such that they may be moved to divergent positions for certain instances.

Magnets 120 and 121 are initially set to that position which will give the desired amount of overlap of convoluted wires 44 and 45, and magnets 125 and 126 are initially adjusted to that position where the desired amount of overlap of convoluted wire 42 with respect to convoluted wire 44, and convoluted wire 43 with respect to convoluted wire 45 is obtained. It is preferable that all the magnets be relieved such as 152 and 153 to provide a mouth into which the convoluted wires may be fed.

As before brought out, the delivery end of guide 53 is positioned above the delivery end of guide 54 and therefore convoluted wires 44 and 45 will be positioned in overlapping relationship as they enter between magnets 120 and 121 and since guides 51 and 52 overlap guides 53 and 54, convoluted Wires 42 and 43 will overlap convoluted wires 44 and 45, respectively, as the convoluted wires enter between magnets 125 and 126.

Screws 149 for adjusting the magnets are threadedly received by brackets 160 and 161 which are securely mounted on table 145 by screws 162. These brackets provide arms which have a slot and bolt and nut connection with arms 163 and 164 which support line wire nozzles 108 and 109, the slot and bolt and nut connection allowing the nozzles 108 and 109 to be moved to various positions to position the line wires on the overlapped convoluted wires according to predetermined patterns.

The arrangement of the apparatus from the convoluted forming gears to the welding apparatus 71 has been set up to form the particular type of metal lath shown in Fig. 4 where the inner convoluted wires have the convolutes thereof opposing one another and partially overlapping the outer convoluted wires 42 and 43 are staggered with relation to the inner convoluted wires and partially overlap the inner convoluted wires. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the outer convoluted wires 42 and 43 are so positioned that the convolutes thereof are positioned substantially opposite one another. The particular type of metal lath shown in Fig. 4 can be used as a joiner strip or a number of these strips can be joined together to form a sheet of metal lath. However, this type of metal lath nds particular use as a corner member and it is contemplated that the metal lath as shown in Fig. 4, will be bent into the shape of the metal lath disclosed in Fig. 9, with a large line wire (not shown in Fig. 4 but similar to line wire shown in Fig. 9) welded down the center thereof and small line wires 105 and 106 welded down the margins thereof. It will be appreciated that metal lath so formed will be self-furring as will be explained with\reference to the metal lath disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9. The line wires 105 and 106 will be positioned on the type of metal lath shown in Fig. 4 in a similar position to gne gvires 171 and 172 for the type of metal lath shown 1n 1g.

The bending wheels 75 and 76 shown in Fig. 1 are set up so that the overlapping of the convoluted wires 42, 43, 44, and 45 with respect to a corner will be the same as the convoluted wires shown in Fig. 9. By merely reversing the bending wheels 75 and 76 the overlapping of the wires with respect to a corner will be reversed.

It will be seen that the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 through 7 will continuously handle, form, and weld metal lath of dilerent patterns, sizes, shapes, and formations` and that there are positive means for causing the convoluted wires to be disposed in predetermined patterns. One of the predetermined patterns which it is desired to make metal lath is shown in Fig. 4, and another type of metal lath is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and the type of metal lath shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to that shown in Fig. 4, except that the staggering of the outer wires is different. The metal lath shown in Figs. 8 and 9 comprises center convoluted wires and 181 and outer convoluted wires 182 and 183. As in the case of metal lath shown in Fig. 4 the convoluted wires 180 and 181 have the convolutes thereof opposed to one another (that is not staggered), and in partial overlapping relationship and welded together. The outer convoluted wire 182 is in partial overlapping relationship with inner convoluted wire 180 and is staggered with relation thereto as can best be seen in Fig. 8. Outer convoluted wire 183 is in partial overlapping relationship with inner convoluted wire 181 and is staggered with relation thereto. However, convoluted wires 182 and 183 are staggered with relation to one another instead of having the convolutes thereof opposed as the metal lath shown in Fig. 4. One advantage of overlapping wires, as shown in Fig. 8, is that the overlapped joints feed under a welding roller one after another instead of in bunches, making it easier to weld such a product. Also, the metal lath shown in Figs. S and 9 will be very strong because of their partial overlapping relationship and their staggering. If it is desired to obtain a metal lath in which lateral deflection is at a minimum the type of wire shown in Fig. 8 is preferred over the type of wire shown in Fig. 4, because it can be seen that the spacing of the welded places longitudinally of the wire shown in Fig. 8 is more even than that shown in Fig. 4, and therefore, there will be less weak traverse places.

Another type of metal lath which can be produced by the apparatus and methods of the present invention is shown in Fig. l0 in which there are fully overlapped convoluted wires 189 and 190 and partially overlapped Wires 191 and 192, convoluted wire 191 being in partial overlapping relationship with convoluted wire 190. Convoluted Wires 189 and 190 are not only fully overlapped but have their convolutes fully staggered with relation to one another as clearly shown in Fig. 10. The convolutes of convoluted wire 191 are opposite the convolutes of convoluted wire 190 but the convolutes of convoluted wire 192 are staggered with relation to the convolutes of convoluted wire 191.

' The outer margins of the metal lath shown in Figs. 10 and l1 are bent at 195 and 196, the bend at 195 being longer than the bend at 196 to permit the leg 195 to extend around a corner 197. The metal lath disclosed in Figs. and ll has its main use as a bullnose strip and because of the fully overlapping relationship of convoluted wires 189 and 190 there will be a stronger hold on the plaster at the center of bend 195 than at the other parts of the metal lath which is desired since, it is always desirable to have the plaster against the tlat wall as plaster at the corner is subject to harder use and more easily becomes detached than plaster on a tlat wall.

The type of metal lath shown in Figs. 8 and 9 has the outer marginsV bent as before described at 200 and 201 to make the main body of this metal lath stand out from the walls provided by corner 203, and therefore, make the metal lath self-furring. Instead of providing bends, legs, or feet for the middle of the metal lath disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9, the metal lath is provided with a hump 205 which positions the main part of the metal lath away from the walls provided by corner 203.

Still another type of metal lath is shown in Figs. 12 and 13. In this construction there are outer convoluted wires 208 and 209 which overlap inner convoluted wires 210 and 211. The amount of overlap of the Wires of the metal lath disclosed in Figs. l2 and 13 is greater than in that type of metal lath disclosed in Figs. 8 and 4, and therefore, a closer mesh is provided. In the metal lath shown in Fig. 12 each convoluted wire is staggered with relation to the wire which it overlaps and this style of construction provides a very close mesh eliminating the wide places provided when convoluted wires have their convolutes positioned opposite one another. The outer margins of the metal lath in Fig. 12 are bent to provide legs 213 and 214 to make the strip of metal lath selffurring. It is contemplated that a single strip may be used as a joiner strip or that a plurality of strips may be welded together to provide a sheet of Welded, self-furring, reenforcing plaster wire.

The advantages of the various types of metal latch have been brought out but they will be summed up for convenience. Where an ordinary corner or strip is desired the type shown in Figs. 4 and 8 can be provided, the metal lath shown in Fig. 8 being the stronger laterally and being somewhat easier to manufacture because of the overlapped members. The metal lath shown in Fig. 10 has a close mesh at bend 195 and this metal lath is for bullnosing and therefore, the close mesh is exactly at the point at which maximum holding is desired and the rearward convoluted wires 191 and 192 are not so closely spaced since this is not necessary back from the corner but a sucient length back from the corner is desired to provide a firm wide corner.

When there is an especially tough job for a joining strip the metal lath shown in Figs. 12 and 13 can be used and there the convoluted wires are so overlapped and positioned relative to one another that a very close mesh is obtained which will positively secure and hold the plaster thereto. p

The overall apparatus can be adapted to form any of the types of metal lath disclosed in the application by a few changes and substitution of parts. The teeth 115, 116, and 117 on toothed wheel 70 are preferably merely cleats which can be readily replaced or adjusted to different positions about toothed wheel to adapt the toothed wheel to arrange convoluted Wires in different patterns as is desired. The gears and 21, 23 and 24, 26 and 27` 29 and 30, are preferably so mounted that each pair of gears can be moved relative to the adjacent pair of gears to change the relationship of the convolutes of the convoluted wires issuing therefrom so that a predetermined pattern can be formed by adjusting these gears.

It is, of course, possible to set the convolute-forming gears at one xed position and merely substitute different lengths of guides for guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 and by choosing different lengths of guides the relationship of the convolutes issuing from the delivery ends of the guides can be determined. That is, the length of travel of the convoluted wires from the convolute-forming gears to the arranging magnets can be varied which will result in a variation in the relationship of the convolutes of the convoluted wires relative to one another.

A convenient means of adjusting the convolute-forming gears relative to one another is by xing one gear on each shaft to the shaft and rotatably mounting the other gear on a shaft freely on that shaft and then attaching the freely mounted gear to the xed gear by a slot and bolt and nut connection. This is shown in the drawings by slots 221 and bolts and nuts 222. By this arrangement the upper gears 20 and 21 may be adjusted relative to lower gears 23 and 24. Gears 26 and 27 can also be adjusted relative to gears 29 and 30.

It is preferable also that the guides 51, 52, 53, and 54 have wide mouths thereon as shown in Figs. l and 2 to receive the convoluted wire without any chance of the convoluted wire catching on the edges of the entrances to the guide tubes 51, 52, 53 and 54.

As can be seen from Fig. 4, center teeth will serve to cause the inner convoluted wires 44 and 45 to be spread outwardly against the side walls provided by magnets and 121 and center teeth 115 will serve to move convoluted wires 44 and 45 along. Flanking teeth 116 and 117 will engage convoluted wires 42 and 43, respectively, and urge these convoluted wires along and also against the side walls provided by magnets and 126. This sidewise movement of the convoluted gears is possible because of the angular line of contact between the teeth 115, 116, and 117 with the convoluted Wires. Therefore, the teeth on toothed roller 70 in combination with the magnets serve to keep the convoluted wires against the guides or side walls provided by the magnets.

It is contemplated that the heavy wire shown in Fig. 9, be provided on only outer corner sections of metal lath and not on the inner corner sections. Heavy wire 170 will provide a corner bead to which the plasterer may work, but this corner bead will not be necessary when a section of metal lath is formed for an inner corner. An inner corner has been depicted in dot-dash lines by the numeral 226 in Fig. 9, and legs 228 and 229 are shown in dot-dash lines for fitting up against the walls provided by corner 226. In such case it Will be seen that the heavy bead wire 170 will not be necessary since the hump 205 will abut against the inside corner 226. From Fig. 9, it can be seen how inside and outside corner sections of metal lath can be formed, and it is to be understood that for an inside corner line wires 171 and 172 will be provided and for an outside corner the lines wires 171 and 172 may be provided and the bead wire 170 is essential to the outside corner section.

The apparatus disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 46,650, tiled August 28, 1948, now Patent No. 2,633,877, is adapted to handle two pairs of convoluted wires or more pairs of convoluted wires. The present apparatus is adapted to handle a plurality of wires at the same time, that is two or more Wires. In my priorapparatus the pairs of wires were overlapped and joined separately and then the pairs of Welded wires were joined. In the present application a plurality of wires can be overlapped and the convolutes thereof arranged according to a predetermined pattern and the plurality of wires welded so that no second welding operation is necessary. There are two ways that the invention discloses by which a plurality of wires may be overlapped and arranged. One of the ways disclosed is by providing a plurality of ways on different levels on which the wires maybe fed from overlapped guides, and a second way is by providing a plurality of rails which rails of the present invention are shown on the same level but there may be a plurality of rails on different levels. By providing ways on different levels with magnetic means for keeping or urging the convoluted wires against side walls or guides, a means for overlapping and positioning a large number of wires is provided.

In prior metal lath products, such as the expanded metal type, several serious disadvantages are present. First, it is extremely diicult to make these prior metal laths rustproot` but with the present invention the wires can be coated prior to being welded, and therefore, the product produced will be a coated, welded product which is rustproof. Since the wires in the present invention are convoluted there will be no sharp edges exposed and therefore there will be no danger in handling metal lath products of the present invention since it is impossible to ct with the convoluted wires.

It will be appreciated that when stacks of the lmetal lath products, such as stacks of corner sections are provided, each section of metal lath can be readily removed from the stack and will not stick to or become intertwined with other sections of the stack since there are no sharp hooks or edges to become intertwined.

It will be noted that the convoluted wires are confined, that is, the mesh is closer at the places at which nailing is to take place so that the plasterer can speed up his Work by being able to nail at practically any place along the line which he wants to nail.

The upper pairs of wire-forming gears can be shifted relative to the lower pairs of wire-forming gears by any suitable method such as by splining the drive shafts to the upper Wire-forming gears and broaching the gears to be mounted on these shafts so that these drive gears can be removed and the upper wire-forming gears shifted relative to the lower wire-forming gears to change the staggering relationship of the upper convoluted wires relative to the lower convoluted wires, and then the drive gears replaced on their splined shafts.

In applying the bullnose lath section of the type illustrated in Figs. and 11, the nails, tacks, or the like will be applied down the portion thereof at which the wires are most concentrated, that is, where the mesh is the smallest which will be just back of the bend 195 approximately at the line of overlap of convoluted wires 190 and 191. This Wire is especially designed so that time will be saved in applying the same since the person applying this lath can nail right down the line of close mesh without having tg plick out certain places at which to drive nails, tacks, or t e i c.

It is contemplated that the line wires 171 and 172 shown in Fig. 8 may be positioned close to the line of overlap of convoluted wires 181 and 183 in the case of line wire 201, and convoluted wires 180 and 182 in the case of line wire 171, and therefore the person applying the lath will follow the line wires down and be nailing or tacking through the lath at places thereof at which the mesh is closest.

The mesh shown in Fig. 12 is especially designed so that easy nailing and tacking is possible at almost any point.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, means on the frame providing a plurality of magnetic ways on which convoluted Wires are adapted t0 travel, some of the Ways being on different levels than other of the ways, guides on the frame for guiding convoluted Wires to the ways, the delivery ends of the guides being overlapped to position the wires leaving the guides in overlapped relationship, means on the frame for feeding a plurality of convoluted Wires into the guides with the convolutes of the wires being in a predetermined relation with respect to one another, and means adjacent the delivery end of the ways for spot welding the overlapped and arranged convoluted wires together.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, means on the frame providing a plurality of magnetic ways on which convoluted Wires are adapted to travel, some of the Ways being on dierent levels than other of the ways, guides on the frame for guiding convoluted wires to the ways, the guides having the ends thereof overlapped to position the convoluted wires leaving the guides in overlapped relationship, means on the frame for feeding a plurality of convoluted wires into the guides with the convolutes of the wires being positioned in a predetermined pattern relative to one another, means on the frame associated with the ways for maintaining the convoluted wires in overlapped relationship and with the convolutes in a predetermined pattern with respect to one another, and means adjacent the delivery' end of the ways for welding the convoluted wires together.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a frame, a plurality of guides on the frame, means on the frame for feeding a plurality of convoluted wires into the guides with the convolutes thereof positioned with respect to one another so that when the convoluted wires exit from the guides the convolutes thereof will be positioned with respect to one another according to a predetermined pattern, the delivery ends of the guides being in overlapped relationship so that the convoluted wires issuing therefrom are disposed in overlapping relationship, welding means on the frame for joining `overlapped Wires together, and magnetic means on the frame between the guides and the welding means for maintaining the overlapped relationship while positioning the convoluted Wires according to said predetermined pattern.

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